Lenhart, a 20-year-old college student from California, had been visiting New York in December. She took a cab to JFK Airport, but when it came time to pay her $49 fare, the credit-card reader in the cab declined her card. Lenhart said officers at the airport made her give her $140 music player to the taxi driver as payment for the ride from Manhattan.

The red iPod nano was loaded with oldies including songs by Taylor. He's penned classics such as “You've Got a Friend'' and “Fire and Rain.”

Taylor read about Lenhart’s loss in the New York Post and was furious, saying only a tourist would have actually complied with such a demand.